The Scientific Reason Why Cats Meow

Many cat owners will tell you that their cats talk to them, and what's more, they understand what's being said. While this may sound a little strange to those who don't have pet cats, cat owners will agree that their cats communicate with them with specific meows for specific occasions. A long, drawn out meow means something different from a high pitched yip. 

Interestingly, cat's only meow to humans: they have much more sophisticated methods of communicating with other cats through scents. So why, and how, did cats learn to communicate with humans? 

The origins of cats meowing started when cats became domesticated around 10,000 years ago. While young kittens meow at their mother when they need attention, they grow out of it as they get older. But cats that lived with humans began to learn that if they meow, they get their human's attention. 

This behavior was not internalized by cats and passed onto the next generation; rather, it is learned and relearned by each cat. Domestic cats that live with humans are much more likely to meow at humans, while feral cats don't meow so much as growling or hissing. 

If your cat has developed a special way to communicate with you, can they be trained to communicate even more precisely? Unfortunately, the answer is not really (not at the level dogs can be trained). You can encourage communication by responding to their meows with attention (and you can even meow back to them), which might create a kind of "conversation" between you. 

So next time your cat meows, pay attention closely. They're saying something important to you!